According to a Polk County Sheriffs Office arrest affidavit Adam Bustos DOB 7/31/1996, Kristy Montenegro DOB 2/13/1999, and Caleb De Leon Ortiz 5/19/2001 (a juvenile charged with a felony) have been arrested and charged with Armed Kidnapping & Armed...
Former Youth & Family services worker arrested in December for child pornography has 165 additional charges added-on
PCSO Press Release:
On Wednesday, January 30, 2019, detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office added an additional 165 counts of Possession of Child...
Limited Visibility Possible on Highway 60 and 17 Due to Smoke
Bartow, Fla. (January 29, 2019) — Due to a smoldering mulch fire and impending weather conditions, heavy smoke is possible and may present hazardous driving conditions on Highway 60 between...
Alafia River Rendezvous Brings History To Life For 48th Year
by James Coulter
Nestled near the Alafia River within the Florida wilderness stands an encampment of several white canvased tents.
Within the heart of this camp, several people dressed in rustic country...
Bartow Police Investigating Death of Woman in Walmart Parking Lot
Bartow Police Department Release:
On 01/23/2019, at around 1020 hours; officers with the Bartow Police Department responded to the report of a possible shooting in the parking lot of Walmart (1050...
Polk County Sheriff's Office arrests social services worker for possessing child pornography
On Friday, December 21, 2018, detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested 28-year-old William Smith of Laurel Circle in Bartow, for possessing and trading child pornography. Smith's...
Polk County Sheriff's Office Press Release
A 56-year-old Bartow woman was killed Tuesday night, December 4, 2018, at around 8:07 P.M., on Cox Road near 80 Foot Road in Bartow. The woman had no ID on her, but was eventually...
PCSO Release:
On December 4, 2018, PCSO arrested and charged 29-year-old Dyrren Barber of Lake Wales with one count DUI with property damage (M1). Barber told deputies upon his arrest that he is a teacher at Bartow Middle School.
According to the affidavit,...
Bartow Ford Winter Wonderland Lets It Snow For Fourth Year
by James Coulter
Rachel Aguilera from Lakeland waited patiently in line to see if the key she received would open the door to a F150 Super Cab STX Two Wheel Job...
Honey Bee Festival & Craft Fair
by James Coulter
Hundreds swarmed to Downtown Bartow like a swarm of busy bees for the 27th Annual Bartow Craft Fair, which also included the Honey Bee Festival, Car Show, and Antique Market.
This year the...
https://youtu.be/rP5Zfdefq0s?si=CNS2_g_yp8IdmpyA
Haines City, FL – In the early morning hours of Wednesday, June 12, 2025, at approximately 1:53 a.m., officers...
